The North Bend Central Football Team was defeated 47-39 Friday night against Wilber-Clatonia on the road in the first round of the playoffs.
The Tigers received the ball and scored on their first drive on a 37-yard TD pass from Austin Endorf to Cody Pospisil.
Wilber scored two unanswered TDs to take a 14-6 lead.
North Bend Central then cut the deficit to 14-13 on a 18 yard TD pass from Endorf to John Emanuel towards the end of the 1st quarter.
Wilber then took a 21-13 lead on a QB sneak but the Tigers responded by scoring two touchdowns in the final 66 seconds of the half giving them a 26-21 lead -- the first score a 49-yard touchdown pass from Endorf to Emanuel and then the second a 37-yard pass from Endorf to Cody Prohaska.
In the second half, both teams went 3 and out but they returned North Bend Central's punt 60 yards for a TD and scored another TD on a 14 yard pass. The Tigers cut the lead to 33-32 on a 2 yard TD pass on 4th and goal.
They then scored their final TD on 1-yard TD run.
The Tigers didn't give up though, they went right down the field and scored on a 9-yard TD pass from Endorf to Pospisil.
North Bend Central got the ball back down 8 points and missed a wide open receiver on a double pass, had to punt before the got a couple first downs and ended the game.
Endorf was 24-35 for 382 yards passing with 6 TDs and 0 int. -- he played absolutely tremendous, according to Head Coach Ryan Stieren.
Emanuel caught 11 passes for 214 yards and 2 TDs -- he also played outstanding, according to Stieren, who thinks he is an all-state player.
The Tigers rushed 30 times for 78 yards -- struggled in the run game -- they were improved this year but struggled in their losses to run the ball, Stieren said.
Defensively, North Bend Central gave 416 yards (322 on the ground). Pospisil led the Tigers defensively with 8 tackles and an interception. Breckin Peters and Gavin Peterson made 7 tackles apiece.
Stieren says he's proud of what the team accomplished this season. "It was a great high school football game and I am proud of our kids for the fight that we showed tonight. We went down swinging and got some really shots on them throughout the night but they made more plays at the end of the night. Coming into the game, I knew that the their special teams were special and we did some things to try to negate that but they got a punt return for a TD that hurt us. We had a great season and will work tremendously hard this offseason to get back next year."
North Bend Central ends the season at 6-4.
The Tigers started the year 5-0, and won a big game at GICC in mid-September that was their biggest and most exciting win of the year, in my opinion.
It was a very memorable season for North Bend Central, and the Tigers should be very proud of what they accomplished.
Endorf finished with over 2,600 yards passing and threw 29 touchdowns this season.
Emanuel eclipsed the 1,000 yard mark receiving, totaling 1,086 receiving yards with 9 touchdowns.
Peterson led the way with 66 tackles while Emanuel had 64 and Ben Rolenc added 60.
North Bend Central says goodbye to Emanuel, Joe Howser, Zach Ortmeier, Jacob Ray, Cole Kluthe, Sam Buckingham, Rolenc, Trevor Nelson, Zander Ziettlow, Jeremy Doernemann, and Daden Farrens.
These 11 seniors meant a lot to the success of Tiger Football over the past 4 years, and played an integral part in this program's turnaround.
Key returners include Endorf, Peters, Prohaska, Jarrett Poessnecker, and Peyton Mitties, among others.
A lot of talent was lost off this year's team, but there's no doubt that next year's team can be just as good if not better than this year's team.
I look for Endorf and Peters to have big, breakout seasons, and really perform well for North Bend Central.
The Tigers have a full slate offseason activities in front of them, and should be excited to get after things.
I know many of these student athletes are involved in winter and spring sports, but being committed to and working on football as often as possible is key and very important.
North Bend Central has to get after it on the field and in the weightroom between now and next fall.
Champions are made between December and July, not between August and November.
The Tigers now see what winning and success is and feels like, and I look for them to continue to build upon it and find more success next year.
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